Bailey Award will be presented at halftime of Palmer-Ludlow game

Ashining example of what a coach can mean to his players comes forth with each Thanksgiving Day football game between Palmer and Ludlow.

The presentation of the Len Bailey Award at halftime speaks to 40 years of undying devotion to a coach who died young.

The award goes to a Palmer High senior player who exemplifies the scholarship, sportsmanship and team spirit that Coach Bailey stressed during his Palmer years.

The Bailey Award committee has remained true to a promise made in 1968.

"After coach Bailey's death in 1967 (at the age of 39), we wanted to find a way to keep his memory alive," said chairman Jim St. Amand.

He and four of his teammates - Mike Blazejowski, David Russo, Rocky Chase and Jimmy Duke - talked it over with the school's then-director of athletics, Jake Toshikian, He suggested a senior football award to be given each year.

The committee has seen to it ever since. When Jimmy Duke died, his presence was not forgotten, either. His wife, Ann, has served in his place ever since.

Len Bailey's wife, Barbara, will join with the 2007 recipient, Trevor Schattgen, to present the award at this year's Thanksgiving Day game, which will be played in Palmer.

GOING COLLEGIATE: College hockey comes to downtown Springfield Saturday afternoon as part of a new promotion known as the Falcons Cup.

Bruce Landon, president/general manager of Springfield's American Hockey League club, is putting the cup into competition as a way of having his organization interact with the local college community.

The first Falcons Cup game matches Western New England College against Westfield State. They'll play at the MassMutual Center at 2 p.m. Tickets for the college contest also will be good for admission to Saturday night's AHL game between the Falcons and Providence Bruins at 7 p.m.

"We take great pride in being part of Springfield hockey," said WNEC coach Chris Bernard. "Any chance that we have to be involved with, and supported by, a first-class organization like the Falcons is a real privilege."

For Westfield State, this season marks a return to Division III competition after several years in which hockey was a club activity.

This will mark WNEC's first game at the MassMutual Center. The Golden Bears use Springfield's Ray Smead Arena as their home rink.

RAVES FOR RANTZ: Jim Rantz often visits New Britain Stadium in his role as director of minor league operations for the Minnesota Twins, parent club of the Eastern League's New Britain Rock Cats.

He has been with the Twins since their inception in 1961. He started as a minor league player, and later joined the front office.

His long career will be recognized at baseball's winter meetings, set for Dec. 8-11 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. He will receive the first Sheldon "Chief" Bender Award, instituted to honor distinguished service in the area of Player Development.